Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Medium

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Medium

TOUR SNAPSHOT

“”

The tour was great, and our guide Eric was amazing; we felt like we spent the day with a friend. My boyfriend and I took this tour after a few days in San Jose without a guide and getting out of the city was nice. Eric picked us up, drove us to the hiking location (pointing out sights and explaining things about the area as we went), and gave a very thorough and interesting jungle tour. Eric is exceptionally knowledgeable about wildlife, and we learned a lot about the area and animals. We searched for frogs along the path and spotted sloths and toucans before continuing to the chocolate tour. It's 1-2 hours of learning Costa Rican indigenous uses of chocolate and making a few chocolate treats, after which we headed to a delicious lunch nearby. Earlier that day, we had asked Eric for a coffee place recommendation in San Jose, and instead of just giving us a few names, Eric went out of his way to take us to an amazing coffee shop just outside the city, and we sat and had a coffee before returning to our drop-off location. I cannot recommend this tour enough to those looking for a sweet and outdoor adventure with a great company.

Ms. Sarah B., USA - 11 Aug 2016

This experience was out of this world. I have Eric, the guide to thank for this. I enjoyed the hike, the sloths, the frog, the ants, the iguana, the birds, the bats, the rain, the bridge, the monkeys, the flowers, the food, the shops, etc. And yes, the chocolate. How could anyone ever forget the chocolate.
My fellow travelers also made this trip complete. We all enjoyed the trip. It was a "perfect" day.

Mr. Rajesh K., USA - 30 Nov 2015

Excellente tour to Tirimbina -yummy chocolate tour to see and taste the production of chocolate from the bean to the savory smooth chocolate. . . .swinging bridges walk to a fabulous hike in the foresty jungle with LOTS of ID's of plants, trees, animals, birds, insects. Highly recommend for a day trip OUT of the the city and enjoy the REAL Costa Rica country.

Ms. Lori S., USA - 16 Sep 2015

Tour snapshot

Fact: chocolate releases feel-good chemicals into the body when eaten. Fact: looking at baby animals reduces stress levels. Do both on this San Jose tour of a rainforest and cacao plantation and leave happy and blissed out - high on chocolate and wildlife.

Highlights

Discover the secrets and wonders of one of the world’s favourite foods – chocolate!

Visit part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and catch a glimpse of some of the over 400 bird species that call the reserve home

Enjoy a delicious local lunch at another private reserve

Get a closer look at the home of the most intriguing tropical rainforest local at the leaf cutter ant farm

Inclusions: Local English speaking naturalist guide, transportation, entrance fee to the reserve, authentic local lunch.

Exclusions: Transportation to and from the meeting points, food and drink other than specified above, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips / gratuities for the guide and driver.

Schedule details

Duration: Full Day Tour approximately 10 hours

Meeting point:

There are two pick up locations:

6.30am at the main entrance of National Stadium (in Sabana Park)

7.00am at the main entrance of National Theater (in San José)

Please call us 24 hours prior to departure to confirm which pick-up location you prefer.

Starting time: 6.30 AM-7.00 AM

Ending point:

5:00pm at National Theatre or 5:30pm at National Stadium

FULL ITINERARY

Visit Tirimbina Rainforest Center for a chocolate tour and discover the wonders behind one of the world’s most tantalizing foods — chocolate! The cacao tree originated in Mesoamerica and has a rich and extraordinary history. En route to this amazing place, we will make a stop at La Virgen del Socorro (a private reserve) and lunch at the local restaurant owned by Doña Marielos.

This San Jose tour will get you up close and personal to nature and noms, with a hike through the rainforest and a chocolate tour of the local cacao plantation.

We’ll take private transportation through the Caribbean lowlands and Braulio Carrillo National Park to the Sarapiquì area, one of the best spots in Costa Rica to experience the many wonders of the tropical rainforests. Your certified naturalist guide will lead you through the highlands to La Selva Reserve – one of the best birding spots in Costa Rica. Part of a UNESCO Biological Reserve and with over 400 bird species spotted in the area, you’re sure to see some incredible little fliers.

For an extraordinary experience in bird-watching and photography, we’ll head to the La Selva Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS). La Selva has been a pioneering site in education, research, conservation, and ecotourism in Costa Rica since 1963, and is one of the first private protected areas in the country, and together La Selva and the Braulio Carrillo National Park are part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

After you enjoy the amazing natural history of the tropical rainforests, flora, and fauna, you’ll head off to discover the secrets and marvels of one of humankind’s favourite foods – chocolate.

With its origins in Mesoamerica, cacao has a rich and extraordinary history in this part of the world. Our San Jose chocolate tour will include a visit to a cacao plantation to check out forest and wild species of cacao, as well as understanding the process of turning cacao into chocolate.

Not to worry – after imbibing us with knowledge and information, we’ll actually get to sample some chocolate! We’ll enjoy a chocolate tasting of cacao and other organic chocolate products all made by the Association of Women Amazilia del Caribe, a local organisation. We hope you’re ready to taste some of the best chocolate on earth!

After indulging in all that chocolate, we’ll visit an ant farm to discover the secrets of the most organised society in the Costa Rican rainforest - a leaf cutter ant colony. In our opinion, it’s the perfect way to end this Costa Rican nature, hiking, and chocolate adventure, before heading back to San Jose.

Additional information

Inclusions: Local English speaking naturalist guide, transportation, entrance fee to the reserve, authentic local lunch.

Exclusions: Transportation to and from the meeting points, food and drink other than specified above, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips / gratuities for the guide and driver.

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point.
Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional Information: Each walking trail in La Silva is approximately 3 hours, principally on cement or wood trails suitable for people of all ages and with good mobility. Please remember that the temperature rises during the day, reaching its peak in midday. Participants on this tour must be in good health.

Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.

Local contact

Traveller rating

Excellent

(6)

Very good

(1)

Average

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Poor

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Terrible

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Rating summary

Overall experience

Guide

Local learning

Responsible travel

Met expectations

Ms. Sarah B. from USA travelled on 11 Aug 2016

The tour was great, and our guide Eric was amazing; we felt like we spent the day with a friend. My boyfriend and I took this tour after a few days in San Jose without a guide and getting out of the city was nice. Eric picked us up, drove us to the hiking location (pointing out sights and explaining things about the area as we went), and gave a very thorough and interesting jungle tour. Eric is exceptionally knowledgeable about wildlife, and we learned a lot about the area and animals. We searched for frogs along the path and spotted sloths and toucans before continuing to the chocolate tour. It's 1-2 hours of learning Costa Rican indigenous uses of chocolate and making a few chocolate treats, after which we headed to a delicious lunch nearby. Earlier that day, we had asked Eric for a coffee place recommendation in San Jose, and instead of just giving us a few names, Eric went out of his way to take us to an amazing coffee shop just outside the city, and we sat and had a coffee before returning to our drop-off location. I cannot recommend this tour enough to those looking for a sweet and outdoor adventure with a great company.

Mr. Rajesh K. from USA travelled on 30 Nov 2015

This experience was out of this world. I have Eric, the guide to thank for this. I enjoyed the hike, the sloths, the frog, the ants, the iguana, the birds, the bats, the rain, the bridge, the monkeys, the flowers, the food, the shops, etc. And yes, the chocolate. How could anyone ever forget the chocolate.
My fellow travelers also made this trip complete. We all enjoyed the trip. It was a "perfect" day.

Ms. Lori S. from USA travelled on 16 Sep 2015

Excellente tour to Tirimbina -yummy chocolate tour to see and taste the production of chocolate from the bean to the savory smooth chocolate. . . .swinging bridges walk to a fabulous hike in the foresty jungle with LOTS of ID's of plants, trees, animals, birds, insects. Highly recommend for a day trip OUT of the the city and enjoy the REAL Costa Rica country.

Ms. Andrea T. from Mexico travelled on 17 Oct 2014

The tour was excellent completely different to a normal tourist trip. We had chance to walk and appreciate the beauty of Costa Rica. It was very special The guide was very knowledgeable and shared his interest with us.

Ms. Camilla T. from Italy travelled on 06 Sep 2013

At the end of my Intrepid trip across Central America I decided to spend my day in San Jose with Urban Adventures:a guided tour trough the rain forest and, next, a visit to a chocolate plantation. The attention to details and the care that the guide showed were wonderful; he was very caring and, most of all, enthusiastic about me being in his country(I had a lot of questions and he gave me all the infos and more)!I saw the best animals and plants and had the chance to make my own chocolate!I would definetely do it again!